Sarwan: No Regrets About Not Signing
Sun, Jul 10, '05
Ramnaresh Sarwan has no regrets about rejecting the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) match/tour contract for the Sri Lanka tour.
The 25-year-old right hander, who just inked a deal to join English County side Gloucestershire for the rest of the summer, said he felt a responsibility to support his teammates in the dispute. "Once you're in a team situation and it calls for everyone's support, you can't really run and hide from anything," Sarwan said.
In an interview with CaribbeanCricket.com, Sarwan described the contract dispute as an "unfortunate situation" and made it clear his priority is to represent the regional side once the WICB and the players' association reach an agreement.
"I hope that both parties can work hard and sort it out because we all want to play for the West Indies. But, I really have no regrets about my decisions because, as a team player, I have to support my teammates."
Sarwan will be spending the next two-and-a-half months at Bristol with Gloucestershire, the county side known in the Caribbean for being "Courtney Walsh's Club."
Sarwan said his agent in England had been shopping around for a contract after the WICB chose replacements for Sri Lanka. "Gloucestershire showed the most interest and I decided this was best for me. It's important for me to stay active and play professional cricket."
The Guyanese batsman, who averages 40.87 in 55 Tests for the regional side, said he will spend the summer working on kinks in his technique. "I'm looking forward to working on certain things in England. The conditions there, with the moving ball, will be a good test for me. This is the best place for me to try to get better starts because I've been struggling a bit at the beginning of my innings.
Sarwan said West Indies Coach Bennett King has been stressing the importance of "getting my technique tighter" in the early stages of an inning. "I've been getting out before I get in so this is a chance to go in a situation where the conditions are tough and work hard on that part of my game."
"I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season. Hopefully, I can put my head down and set a standard for the rest of the year."
